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Wednesday, April 26, 2006

I should be getting financial stuff done and helping my husband with taxes...but this will only take a second or two...oh yes, must announce...today is Elizabeth's official due date, she'll be 1 month old tomorrow..........and she's doing quite well I must say

Randi over at I HAVE TO SAY had a challenge to tell everyone about how we relax. Relaxing with a newborn and five other kids is far from easy but there are ways and I mean to find them....

this is what I did before my delightful new baby came along and what I will do once I figure out how to accomplish the carving out of such things....

1. Creating - sewing, card-making, scrapbooking, anything that lets my creative juices flow....I love my little sewing room with sunlight pouring down on me as I play with fabric, it's pretty much my favorite thing to do hands down....and I like doing it by myself. Like Sparrow I am a bit of an introvert, I like all that crafty stuff, just like doing it alone or with one or two people I love...

2. Reading - this is one thing that I do (brief pause while I make sure my little boys are not out on the deck roof....again) while I'm nursing, either reading out loud to the kids or reading something I enjoy...I've read a truckload of books since Elizabeth was born probably a dozen or more in the last 4 weeks...

3. My tub - I have a big bubble soaker tub that is pretty awesome to relax in....

4. Drinking tea late in the evening and chatting with the love of my life.

5. Going out, anywhere, all by myself....

6. Going out, anywhere, with my husband...

7. Being at home, all by myself....

8. Drinking tea on the couch with sunlight streaming in...

9. this may be weird but I feel more relaxed when my house is clean, so cleaning is almost relaxing cause I know how much I'll like it when it's done.............

10. Just being by myself with a bit of worship music is great, too..............

hmmmm........I seem to like these little dots alot lately.....................what's up with that?

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

thought I'd stick something on here that looked sorta new...I have to admit I'm not putting a lot of effort into the blog world lately...I have finally realized what everyone keeps telling me...I'm really busy...6 kids and 2 dogs and a husband are a lot of work...not to mention the house and the care and feeding of all those creatures.

however, so far so good, as long as I have a nap or something that resembles one on a daily basis we do okay...the house is not so okay most of the time. However, today someone gave me on of THE BEST BABY GIFTS EVER....a cleaning lady for 5 hours...oh my goodness, that was fabulous. I actually did something that I needed to do without feeling guilty about the mess in my house (with 6 kids, it's like shoveling in a snowstorm).

So blogworld, you're taking a low priority and that's just the way it will have to be........

Oh yes, more newly pregnant people are popping up everywhere...so exciting...so glad it isn't me...I love just cuddlin' my darling daughter....have I mentioned that she is BY FAR the cutest baby in the world (that is a completely unbiased opinion) when my mom sends me the pics off her camera I will prove it to the world!!

Thursday, April 13, 2006

It was 5:45 in the afternoon. Seemed liked the contractions had stopped. "I'll wait a little longer," I thought to myself. 6:00 came and went. Things definately seemed to be at a standstill. I told my husband we might as well go home, it didn't look like we'd be having a baby after all. He went and told the nurse but she said we'd have to wait for the doctor who was doing an emergency C-section. We waited.

And waited.

Suddenly another contraction hit, and another. Maybe we shouldn't go home just yet. By the time the doctor came and checked things out she confirmed that now we more definately in active labor and they were moving me over. A few hours later, Elizabeth - promise of God, lay in our arms.

It was late afternoon. The sky had darkened. The man on the cross looked awfully dead. All that the disciples had hoped for was stopped that afternoon. Nothing was happening. No angelic host, no hand of God sweeping across the Roman empire. Just a dead man on a cross. Might as well go home, nothing going on here. But the women waited.

And waited.

Suddenly a contraction hit the earth. The stone rolled away and the angels said, "Come and look, He's not here." The women ran to tell the others. "Come and see, the tomb is empty!" It had been three days, just like He said. Messiah, the promised one, had opened His arms to the world on a rough cross to bring us life.

How easily I give up at the first sign that things aren't going as planned or when the plan seems to have stopped, dead in the water, no wind in the sails. Perhaps I need to hang in just a little longer, press in a little closer and wait for the promise of God to be fulfilled in my sight.

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

While I was in the hospital I found a wonderful thing. I was perusing the magazine rack looking for something to occupy my time with when a lovely magazine cover caught my eye. It said, "Lily - beautiful living through faith". I had to take a second look, there was after all a flower in the title.

I'm not much for American magazines that forget Canada exists or other such fluffy things but I thought I'd take a look. I was surprised to be very wrong! It was chock full of beautiful photography, scripture and many articles that appealed to me, homeschooling, Canadian gardens, large families, crafty stuff, great bread recipes, challenging spiritual teaching, a Bible reading calendar and lots more.

It's the premier issue and is only available on the newstands. GO BUY ONE!! You'll be glad you did. It is by far the best magazine I have ever read. I was sceptical but I was wrong! GO GET ONE, NOW!

Sunday, April 09, 2006

There are some wonderful things about no longer being pregnant...things you take for granted:

* standing right by the counter as I cook or do dishes* bending - I actually put my shoes on this morning without a major ordeal!* hugging my husband is once again a full contact sport - well at least until the milk came in!!* my kids can sit on my lap and snuggle because I have one!* the number of trips to the bathroom have cut down considerably* it actually seems worth while to go to the bathroom because my bladder is actually full* sleep - I feel like I can go to sleep at any time and actually sleep - haven't done that for many months* I can turn over without using 40 acres* wearing almost normal clothes again

Friday, April 07, 2006

I'm afraid that I am unable to put a coherent thought together on my own so I will borrow from another's. I bought myself this wonderful magazine while staying in the hospital. It's a new Christian magazine that is available only on newstands. It's called, "Lily - beautiful living through faith". I highly recommend it and encourage you all to go find one, it's a beautifully put together magazine full of good things. Anyway, this is a little poem that was tucked away on the bottom of a daily bible reading guide that has completely gripped my heart and has become my desire.

In my present state I must confess that I am far from having a quiet mind as I peruse the state of my home, the discipline and character issues that I see in my kids, the plans and schedules that need to be constructed, the unfinished projects, the business changes that are coming up....you get the picture...now throw in sleep deprivation and whacked out hormones...I'm a mess!! When I read this little piece, I wept and continue to weep as I seek the Lord to show me how to come to this place on a more consistent basis.

I've many a cross to take up now,And many left behind;But present troubles move me not,Nor shake my quiet mind.

And what may be tomorrow's cross,I never seek to find;My Father says, "Leave that to me,And keep a quiet mind."

Thursday, April 06, 2006

This adjustment is not easy. While I longed to be home while in the hospital, now that I'm here I long for the quiet and simple routine of taking care of me and Elizabeth and our tiny corner of the world. The house is a disaster, the fridge is full of food that needs to be tossed (things still in there from before E came into the world), laundry is piled up. Yesterday I never got around to getting dressed, I was going to and then I needed to nurse, then I had a nap, then it was time to nurse again and nap again and have a bath and then it was time to go to bed. It's hard to even find time to eat at normal times.

Today is the first day that I'm feeling somewhat human. The fog is lifting a little. I have to remember that God said He would give me all the grace I need to do all the things that He has ordained for me to do this day. I am SOOOOOOOOOOO thankful for my amazing husband who has kept things together as he can while working and taking care of me.

I highly recommend the two weeks of doing absolutely nothing. It hasn't been quite two weeks yet but I'm thankful for the time I've had so far of just sitting and taking care of me and Elizabeth. That's one thing the hospital is good for - even though you don't really sleep there. I'm beginning to get restless though, to want to get up and start vacuuming and cleaning and what have you. I need to let it be for now.

The kids have been somewhat helpful - my big boy particularly - he is so helpful, he does a great job of laundry! The kids have helped make lunches and I can commandear from the couch for tidying. We haven't done a lick of 'school' for two weeks. But they're all getting well - the noise level supports that fact!! :)

Yup, lots of adjustment. Transition is never easy - Lord help us all to just take up our cross for this one day and not worry about the rest. Give us Your rest Lord, grant us peace...

Sunday, April 02, 2006

my little girl! She is no longer the only girl in our family and is positively glowing about it!!

Elizabeth Johanna arrived on March 27 at 1:39 AM after 12 hours of labour and 2 big pushes. (Yes you can all mock me now that I have had a 'normal' labour time). However, she was 5 weeks early so we spent a little time in Neonatal Intensive Care (36 hours) due to blood sugar issues, body temp regulation, feeding, etc. Even so she was a good size (7lbs 6oz about 19" long). After we got out of NICU we needed to spend some more time because jaundice set in. The doctors weren't eager to send us home since all 4 of the boys were sick. So little miss Elizabeth spent several days in her own personal tanning bed and we were finally able to go home this morning.

She still isn't quite up to nursing yet, she nees to get a little stronger. So we nurse a little, pump a lot and bottle feed.

My Writing Community

a little bit of what makes me, me

just a girl who loves Jesus, her family, and crafting with words, paper and fabric. trying to keep it all together while dealing with 6 kids, one of which has some issues with attachment, ADD, ODD and learning disabilities. Oh yeah, we pastor and farm, too! crazy life but we wouldn't change it...okay, maybe a little.